Lock, Stock, and Music
by Del Schiz
Summary: A scene from The Bands Break Up, with a focus on Stormer. Including short followup scene. [2 of 2]
1. Part One

A short fanfic to mark my entry into the fandom. Not quite what I'd hoped, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. Read and review.

**Lock, Stock, and Music**  
a Misfits fanfic by D.L. SchizoAuthoress

"You can be a part of our company, Stormer," Jerrica offered, clasping the younger woman's hand warmly. "How about joining the Holograms?"

Stormer's smile froze. She'd never considered the possibility of becoming a Hologram. The first thing that popped into her mind was, 'Pizzazz will be furious!'

She had quietly observed the two bands for a long time, from just about when Jem and the Holograms had burst onto the scene. It had been with jealousy and disbelief that she watched the four original Holograms get one lucky break after another in the beginning-coddled by Howard Sands, adored by Lin-Z Pierce, financed by a European countess, and the droves of movie people donating money and time to _Starbright_. Stormer still resented the failure of _The Misfits Hit it Big_, which hadn't really been that bad.

But as she'd mellowed out-and stopped buying so completely into Pizzazz's and Roxy's tough chick act-Stormer realized that the Misfits and the Holograms were more alike than anyone associated with either group would ever admit. Both Eric Raymond and Jerrica Benton were purported to run the show, but the public mostly saw Pizzazz as the leader of the Misfits and Jem as the face of the Holograms. Musically, neither Pizzazz nor Jem were the main source of talent, but they both seemed to call the shots about what songs to play or subjects to sing about.

At least with the Misfits, Stormer hadn't had to worry about impressionable youngsters getting underfoot-aside from their early semi-exploitation of Ashley, that is. The Misfits allowed Stormer to be wild and crazy, and in fact, they encouraged it and sometimes berated her for not being tough enough. The truth of it simply was that Stormer had her limits to how mean she wanted to be. But the Holograms' capacity for wild-and-craziness was even smaller than her own.

And then there were those songs! Stormer couldn't lie to herself, they didn't lack anything, musicwise, but those lyrics! Always "faith and hope and brotherly love," as Pizzazz had bemoaned on the Misfits' _'Who is She, Anyway?'_. There wasn't anything wrong with sweetness and light, such as it were, but it had to stop sometime. Could Stomer bear to play back-up on endless renditions of _'Like a Dream'_, _'Twilight in Paris'_, and _'Love is Here'_? And could she possibly churn out such lyrics without going insane? She wondered.

The near-synchronized clicking of several pairs of high-heeled shoes interrupted Stormer's chance to answer, and a familiar, slightly nasal voice called out, "Stormer!"

Stormer turned, and saw the impossible-the other Misfits, led of course by Pizzazz, filing into Jerrica Benton's office. Knowing how hard it must be for them to swallow their pride and come crawling to _her_, Stormer headed toward them, meeting her bandmates halfway.

"They don't really need you," Pizzazz stated matter-of-factly. She put a hand on Stormer's shoulder, "Please, Stormer, come back to the Misfits! We need you!"

Stormer's mouth fell open in shock. She'd heard the note of pleading in Pizzazz's voice, reminiscent of when the green-haired rock star was trying to wheedle something out of Eric Raymond or Harvey Gabor. But something was different. There was something in Pizzazz's eyes; it was an openness, a vulnerability that Stormer had never seen before. A glimpse behind the armor of attitude and contempt that revealed the truth in Pizzazz's words.

"Yeah, it's true!" Roxy chimed in, stepping forward to catch Stormer's gaze.

"Come back, Yank," Jetta begged, leaning forward and clutching Roxy's shoulders. Stormer noted with amusement that Roxy did nothing to shrug off Jetta's clinging hands, but was genuinely touched by the fondness with which Jetta called her 'Yank'.

Stormer looked at the three women. She'd known Pizzazz and Roxy for years; this was as close to an apology as they could get and still be sincere about it. Jetta hadn't been with them as long, but she was cut from the same cloth. She turned around, feeling a stab of regret as Kimber looked away from her. The younger Benton sister already knew what she was going to say, but Stormer said it anyway.

"It's true, Jerrica. You don't need me." She faced Pizzazz, Roxy, and Jetta again. "But...they do!"

"You mean it, you'll come back?" Pizzazz demanded, a bit shrilly.

"All right, yeah!" Roxy and Jetta celebrated, clapping their hands with glee.

"Yes!" Pizzazz hissed, clenching her fists and giving silent thanks.

Stormer cut in, her voice louder than usual, "I will, but you're going to have to listen to me also from now on. I'm an equal partner, right?"

"Uh, right," Pizzazz murmured, as Roxy and Jetta nodded. She never thought she'd see the day that Stormer-of all people-would stand up to her. "Right!" she repeated, more forcefully.

Her hand fell to Stormer's shoulder again, ushering her newly restored flock from enemy territory. "Well, come on, partners, let's move it!" she cried, in a tone that sounded more forced than anything.

Roxy and Jetta didn't need to be told twice. They were headed toward the elevators, and halfway there when Kimber called Stormer back. Pizzazz lingered for a second, but, realizing that the pink-haired keyboardist meant no harm, followed her quickly retreating friends. Whatever those two had to say to each other, it didn't matter to _her_.

END


	2. Part Two

Notes: Yes, it's super-short, but I really didn't want to dwell too much on this fanfic. I meant for it to be a stand-alone, and yet the first section of this chapter demanded to be unleashed on the world. (any squicking over homosexuality is the fault of the characters and does not reflect my views!) 

**Lock, Stock, and Music: Part Two  
**a jem fanfic by d.l. schizoauthoress

Kimber was the first to pull back from their hug. Stormer blinked, surprised at this sudden change in the usually-affectionate young woman. Then she remembered the presence of Kimber's older sister and the Holograms, who were looking on a tad uncomfortably. But rather than be annoyed, Stormer was vaguely amused. It must be written in the Hologram Handbook; page sixteen, paragraph two: _"Thou shalt not hug another woman in public for too long. It is bad press, and a little icky."_ Just another reason to be glad that she'd turned down the offer to become a Hologram.

Not, of course, that she'd ever done anything 'intimate' with Roxy and Pizzazz. Unless a late-night game of naked Marco Polo counted. What could she say? They'd had a couple of drinks, their swimsuits were at the cleaners, and Pizzazz had demanded that they go out to the pool. And if Jem and the others thought that Pizzazz was bad in public, they'd never seen a drunk Pizzazz denied what she wanted at home. (Okay, technically, Stormer could have gone swimming in a bra and panties, but she'd been wearing her black ones that day and didn't want them faded by the chlorine. And Roxy would have called her a prude.)

Besides, it wasn't like her bandmates had ever done anything really sexual. . . well, okay, they probably had. But she didn't particularly like to consider that sort of thing. Because on more than one occassion before hitting it big, all three Misfits had had to share a single hotel room. And Stormer, being a heavy sleeper, wouldn't have woken up if Pizzazz and Roxy had decided to indulge in their carnal desires. And, well, the thought of being in the same room as people who were having sex -- even if one was asleep (and definitely not participating!) while they did it -- was sort of vulgar.

Then again, nobody ever said that the Misfits were above vulgarity.

"See ya 'round, kid," Stormer said, giving Kimber's shoulder a quick, friendly squeeze.

Kimber winked. "Maybe even sometime after four-thirty," she joked.

* * *

Stormer walked down the hallway as fast as she dared, not wanting to insult Kimber and the others by running, but not wanting to give Pizzazz the impression that she'd rather stay, either. As she rounded the corner, she saw that she hadn't needed to worry. Roxy was leaning against the wall, and as Stormer appeared, she checked her watch. Jetta was ripping the leaves off a fake potted plant near the elevators, and Pizzazz was standing inside the elevator, her palm pressed flat on the 'Emergency Stop' button.

"Minute and a half," Roxy commented as she stepped in beside Pizzazz. "No tearful goodbyes, Stormer?"

Stormer shrugged as she and Jetta followed, "Tears of joy, maybe, once I left. You guys know that they just offered me that spot in the band because they thought they needed to, so Kimber'd go back to them."

Jetta scoffed, "Besides, they've got so many band members and hangers-on these days, if you did join up, the stage'd probably collapse."

Pizzazz laughed, and pressed the button indicating the lobby floor. With a soft chime, the door slid shut on the newly reunited Misfits.

END

(for real)


End file.
